Elburn CERT sessions offer emergency training

ELBURN – Perhaps you’ve never had to put out a fire. Maybe you don’t know how to treat a traumatic injury. The Elburn Community Emergency Response Team is offering an opportunity to get schooled in how to handle crisis situations.

Elburn CERT classes will be offered Wednesday nights, starting Sept. 18. With session titles such as “disaster psychology” and “CERT and terrorism,” it’s likely most would have an opportunity to learn something new. Dave Gualdoni, an Elburn Village Board member, helps facilitate the classes, but he stressed that the instruction mostly comes from the Elburn and Countryside Fire Protection District.

Classes are free, but those interested should visit www.elburncert.org and click on “Contact Us.” Once there, they should type in their name and an email address, as well as other contact information requested in the message. They will be contacted and signed up for the sessions.

Gualdoni said anybody could benefit from the training, regardless of whether participants have any familiarity with emergency situations. And those taking the class don’t have to be from Elburn either. Gualdoni said it’s a real help in any traumatic situation if people have an idea of what to do.

“It could be a hazmat situation, where you’d have to evacuate half the town,” Gualdoni said. “It could be anything.”

Gualdoni said participants should be age 18 and older, but if families are interested, they are welcome. Each session lasts two hours, from 7 to 9 p.m. The first class, “Intro to CERT,” takes place Sept. 18 at Village Hall, 301 E. North St., Elburn. The second class, on Sept. 25 is “disaster psychology,” also at Village Hall.

The remaining classes are at Elburn Fire Station 2, 39W950 Hughes Road, in Elburn. Those classes are “fire suppression” on Oct. 2, “medical operations 1” on Oct. 9, “medical operations 2” on Oct. 16, “search and rescue” on Oct. 23 and “CERT and terrorism” on Oct. 30.

Gualdoni said there will be hands-on training. Participants will learn how to use a fire extinguisher, for instance. And there is much detail in the medical operations sessions.

To sign up for Elburn CERT classes, visit www.elburncert.org and click on “Contact uUs.” Once there, those interested should type in their name and an email address, as well as other contact information requested in the message.